Payback Is a Mutha (9 page)

“Damn. What did Forever do wrong?”

She smirked. “Forever. Did your mother name you Forever or is that some five percent Nation thing you got going on for yourself?”

Forever was still smiling. “I see you’ve been
thinking about me.” He sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

“Don’t flatter yourself at my expense. Just answer the question.”

“My mother gave me that name and if you act right I might let you find out if I’m living up to it or not.” He was staring at her. But she was cool.

“Like I said, don’t flatter yourself at my expense.” She took a mouthful of her meal.

“Can I ask what are we eating?”

She looked up at him. He had on a sleeveless T-shirt and was flexing those huge muscular arms; khakis, work boots and his work gloves were in his back pocket. “We? I don’t see or hear no one of French descent in this office.”

“What is it? Smells good.” He leaned over trying to get a better peek.

She held up a big fat shrimp. “Shrimp covered in garlic and lime juice over rice pilaf, and it is sooo good,” she teased as she swallowed a shrimp.

“Is it?”

“Fo’ sho.” She held up another one. Soon as she did he leaned over and started sucking the shrimp and the lime juice off her fingers while not taking his eyes off of her.
“Dayuuum,”
she said to herself as her cheeks felt hot. “You know you are out of line,” she said out loud.

“Who says so? It’s only me and you here in this room.”

“I said so.”

“Well, this ain’t the first time, and won’t be the last time that I get out of line.”

“Oh, really? When was the first time?”

“You know when it was, so stop playin’ with me. Let me have another one.” He looked at her plate.

She picked up another one with her fingers and he dutifully ate the shrimp and sucked on her fingers. This time a little longer. She really wanted him to suck on a little more than just her fingers. “Can I finish my dinner now?” She asked as she slowly pulled out her fingers and ran them across his pretty, juicy lips.

“You want me to leave now?”

“Yeah.”

He leaned over and softly kissed her lips before going for her tongue. “Mmmm. You taste better than the garlic and lime juice.” He kissed her some more. “Mmmm. You taste very good.” He kissed her more hungrily this time.

She pulled away. “Let me finish my meal.”

“You puttin’ me out?”

“Yup. You got a floor to do and you’re fuckin’ up my high.”

“A’ight, I’m leaving.” He went to kiss her again.

“I thought I wasn’t your type.”

“I was just fuckin’ with you.”

She leaned up to kiss him but stopped in midair and then said, “Now I’m just fuckin’ with you. Get the fuck outta my office!”

W
hat started out as a Saturday morning was now afternoon at the Wolfchase Galleria, for Brianna and Shan.

“Let’s unload some of these bags.” Brianna said to Shan as she eyed the door of Dillard’s.

“Fuck unload! I’m ready to go!”

Brianna sucked her teeth. “I hate coming to the mall with you!”

“I hate coming with you, too! What else are you trying to buy?” Shan asked and looked at her with disbelief. Both of them were bogged down with bags.

“Girl, come on. I just want to hit a few more stores. Why you always gotta trip!” Brianna began walking towards the exit. “I’ll buy you something. But let’s drop this load.”

Shan started laughing. “Hoe, you gonna have to buy me a lot to get me to come back in here. It’s damn near 2:00!”

“I got you! I got you!”

“You better have me!”

When they arrived at Brianna’s Lexus it began to drizzle but the sun was still shining. They stuffed all of the bags into the trunk. “I feel weird today.” Shan shrugged. “Something’s going down.”

“Weird?”

“Yeah. You know, like something’s going on but you just can’t pinpoint it? And last night I had a dream about snakes, bit fat ones! They were everywhere. I was beating them with sticks but they were coming out of every hole. If I moved a rock, a big one would come slithering out. That shit was weird.” Shan slammed the trunk shut.

“You don’t have to slam it!”

“Girl, please! Unlock the damn door.” Shan ordered.

“A’ight now. You break it. You pay for it!” Brianna said, trying to sound like a Chinese salesperson. “What do you think your dream meant?”

“I don’t know. But that shit was scary. I hope it wasn’t telling me that you’re a snake,” Shan teased.

“Whatever, hoe.” Brianna started the car and drove to a corner in the rear of the mall parking lot. Shan got comfortable and pulled out the dro. “So whose paper you spending today?” Shan put fire to the blunt while she fixed her gaze on Brianna.

“Tssk!”
Brianna emphatically sucked her teeth. “Shadee’s. It’s his guilt money. He had the audacity to send for me, while he’s chillin’ in Atlanta with his baby’s mama. Then he had the nerve to have her all up in the Ritz Carlton while dropping me off at some Best Western. I said, ‘nigga, you got me twisted!’ I went the fuck off!” Shan was laughing so hard she was choking. “Bitch, it ain’t that funny!” snapped
Brianna. “Pass the haze.” She snatched the blunt out of Shan’s hand before continuing. “I didn’t even check into the hotel. I stuffed the dough in my bag, hailed me a cab back to the airport and was on the first flight back home.”

Still laughing Shan said, “Now that’s a relationship I’m still trying to figure out.”

They sat and puffed while listening to K-97.1. Of course Brianna had to pick up her cell phone. She was expecting a call from Peanut. As soon as she hung up she tried to convince Shan to walk back to the mall instead of drive. “Girl, it’s beautiful out and plus we’ll be driving around
forever
trying to find a spot that’s closer.”

“Oooooh! Don’t say that name.” Shan put her palms over her ears.

“What exactly is your problem?” Brianna laughed. “Whose name did I say?”

“Forever hoe! You know what name.”

“Bitch please! Forever is nothing but an infatuation. At least he better be.” She stared down at Shan. “You can’t have him, he’s married, he’s locked up, and you ain’t trying to find out if he got any money. So why waste the pussy? Oops! My bad! I forgot. With you it’s not all about the money,” she cracked.

“You are so funny. Ha! Ha! Girl, just shut up. Let’s go before I change my mind.” Shan opened the car door. She really did not want B to know that they had been kissing. Brianna don’t even give out kisses for free. And Shan knew Forever wanted to fuck her.

“A’ight Forever! You know I’m telling the truth.” Brianna laughed. “You gonna get enough of giving out charity pussy.”

When they stepped out of the car the sun was beaming and the drizzle had stopped.

“Ooh! It is beautiful out.” Shan beamed.

“I don’t know why you’re just noticing, Miss Ready-To-Go-Home. Hmmp! Look who I see. Turn to your left partna, so you can see a nigga with money fo’ real!”

When Shan turned to look she said, “Got damn! I knew I was feeling tensed up for some reason.” She rolled her eyes at Briggen, who was wearing a Knicks jersey, black jean shorts and some crisp white-on-white Birdman sneakers. He also looked as if he had just come from the barber. Him and his boy was sitting in his truck smokin’ and chillin’ while Brianna and Shan was parked a few spaces down. He was patiently waiting for them to pull off or get out of the car.

“Shan baby, come here, girl.”

Shan acted as if she didn’t hear him.

“Girl, answer him so that I can holla at that nigga he got wit’ him.”

“I am not in the mood to be fuckin’ with him B. He ain’t shit and you know that. So come on. Let’s roll.” Brianna was stalling, pretending to look for something in the trunk. “Come on, Brianna. Stop playing. He ain’t nothin’ but trouble.”

“Trouble? He can’t be no more trouble than Mr. Forever. Look at him! All I see is pussy in his eyes! How much trouble is that? You said he got tha bomb dick.” That caused Shan to crack a smile.

“You are so ignorant. You can’t even see his eyes from here, hoe!” Before she could say another word he was standing behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Woo. This right here is Shan. I told you about her.”

“The lil’ mama who raped you then put you out?” Woo teased.

“Yeah. This is her.” Then he looked at Brianna. “Brianna this is my boy, Woo. Woo, this is Brianna.” He nodded to Woo. Brianna was flashing her Ms. America smile. She was immediately in his face asking him where he was from and getting her mack on.

“How come you told him that?” Shan was embarrassed.

Briggen was slowly steering Shan toward his truck, which was gleaming like it just came from getting detailed. “I thought that was you.” He ignored her question.

“I’m on my way to the mall, so let me go. Why are we walking towards your ride? And what? You’re following me now?”

“You tryna call me a stalker?”

“What’s up Calvin? What do you want? I suggest you get back home to your Stepford Wives.”

“Ha. Ha. Cute. I didn’t forget that cute little stunt you pulled that night. And why are you always ignoring me?”

“You’re ignoring me. I just asked you a question! And why do you always answer me with a question?” Shan couldn’t even front, she still had some feelings for him.

“Why do we always have to fight? Instead, why can’t we make love?”

“Because you don’t got it like that! Bri let’s go!” she yelled and tried to turn them around.

Briggen wouldn’t let her go and kept steering her towards his truck. “Where do you think you’re trying to go? I want to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“You know about what. How you keep standing me up, ignoring me; you know what’s up. You won’t return my calls or nothing. Why you gotta be so hard on a nigga?”

“And you still can’t take a hint. How many times do I need to spell it out for you?” she said with much sarcasm and attitude.

“You’re right. Spell it out. You know I don’t take hints.” He opened the back door.

“I don’t know why you’re opening the door, I’m not gettin’ in.” When Briggen picked her up she started screaming and laughing. “Boy, stop playing!” She placed her feet firmly on the edge of the seat, trying to stop him. She screamed as he lifted her higher and slid her across the seat. He climbed in and shut the door. “What do you want?” He felt for his keys, leaned up, started the engine and turned on the air. “What do you want Briggen?”

“I want to talk to you!”

“About what?”

“Me and you. Making things right.”

“I told you before. You fucked up the first time. Plus you got a little too much goin’ on for me. Let’s just be friends and leave it at that.”

“Whatever happened to second chances?”

“I told you before; with me you only get one chance. I don’t know why you refuse to acknowledge that. Now let me out. I’m ready to go finish gettin’ my shop on, Playboy. How much money you got on you?” Shan joked.

“A lot and you can have it all if you give me some time.”

“Yeah, right. I’ve given up my time. We’ve been sitting here for ten minutes.”

“Not that kind of time. I want some of dis pussy. Do me like you did the last time. Let me give you some head, then put me outta my own truck. I won’t even be mad. That’s how bad I want to taste some of dis pussy.”

Shan laughed. “Some pussy? What? Sitting right here in the backseat in the parking lot? Nigga, please! You ain’t my man. Only my man would have it like that.”

“I’m tryna be your man but you won’t let me.”

“Cut the bullshit! Like I said, you had your chance Playboy. But we are not going to even waste our time arguing about that.” She went to grab the door but he grabbed her hands.

“What about the feelings you had for me? You know you still got some so don’t front!”

“Yeah. You said the key word: HAD! I’ve moved on and it’s your loss.” She grabbed the car door handle, pushed it open and got out. Briggen was right behind her. “Now give me some cash.” She turned around and held out her hand. “I want to buy something.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her close. “And I want some pussy,” he ordered as he was squeezing her ass and sucking on her neck. “I saw all of them bags. You already bought a whole lotta sumthin’!”

“Briggen, stop it! Do not put any hickeys on my neck!”

He held her even closer. “Why? I’ma piss your man off? Well, give me a kiss and maybe I’ll think about letting you go.”

“I don’t think so!”

His lips went to the other side of her neck. “Ouch! Briggen, stop! Let me go!”

“Now I want a kiss and a hug!”

She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “You are so ignorant.”

“Oh, hell naw baby. Don’t tease me. You gonna have to come wit’ it!”

“Why you gotta play with me Briggen?” She really did like him.

“Keep stalling and I’ll be taking me some of this pussy. Now come on and give me a kiss.” Shan gave him a peck on the lips and then another one. Briggen held onto them lips, grabbed that tongue, and they didn’t come up for air until her pussy was throbbing.

When Briggen sensed how turned on she was he asked, “You sure you don’t want to give a nigga some of dis pussy?”

“Nigga please, I’m not that turned on.”

“Yes you are.”

“Well you already know all of your privileges have been cut off.” They kissed again and couldn’t help but hear the bass knockin’ in the background.

“Can I come over later?”

Shan was melting in his arms. “Call me.”

The Low Rider stopped and the windows rolled down. Briggen heard Woo yell, “Cover up, Brig! Cover up! Dive down!” as Woo began firing into the Low Rider.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
The gunfire rang from out of the Low Rider. “What’s up now, motherfucker?” Somebody yelled. Then there was laughter.

“Fuck?” Briggen spat as he felt burning sensations.

Shan started screaming when she saw the first squirt of blood and couldn’t make herself stop. The world appeared to be moving in slow motion as she fell backwards with Briggen’s heavy, twitching body
pressed to hers. Blood was oozing out of the corner of his mouth and he was trembling. Shan knew she was screaming but couldn’t hear a thing.

The tires squealed as the Low Rider took off.

Woo obviously hit a target because there was blood splattered all over the side window. Brianna and Woo ran over. “Shan! Shan! Oh, my God, Shan!” B was mumbling. “Oh, God, Shan, are you all right? I’m sorry. I should have taken you home when you wanted to leave. I’m sorry. Please, God, let her be all right.”

“Fuck!” Woo stomped. “You hit man! You hit!”

“Go now,” Briggen was trying to tell Shan. “Go!”

Shan squirmed out from underneath him. Brianna grabbed her arm. “Come on, Shan! Come on! Let’s go! Damn! Let’s go! We gotta get outta here!” She was pulling Shan, who was staring at Briggen. “C’mon girl! Let’s fuckin’ get outta here!”